Palandöken moves toward becoming fully AI-driven ski resort

ERZURUM

With artificial intelligence technologies increasingly enhancing operations at Palandöken, the ski resort aims to set a global standard through a comprehensive software system that will integrate its AI-driven modules under one platform.

Located in the eastern province of Erzurum, Palandöken offers skiing across 55 pistes ranging in length from 1 to 14 kilometers.

Capturing the attention of countless winter sports enthusiasts each year, the resort relies heavily on artificial intelligence to manage its systems such as slope opening and closure, night lighting, snow thickness monitoring, avalanche detection and ticketing.

With the use of high-resolution cameras to analyze snow depth, snow reserves are efficiently redistributed to areas with insufficient coverage, ensuring optimal conditions across the resort.

Selim Bağrıyanık, general manager of tourism operator Ejder3200, a subsidiary of the municipality, said that AI technology was introduced last season and has since been expanded to new areas.

They employed artificial intelligence technology extensively during the season, Bağrıyanık said, noting that the modules in use help to avoid various risk factors.

This season saw the implementation of AI-supported climate assessment stations for the first time, contributing to the development of a new resort management model, he noted.

“We developed an AI model that senses humidity, wind, temperature and the quantity of fresh snow on the track and transmits instructions to relevant units accordingly,” Bağrıyanık explained.

In the past, slope opening and closure had to be done manually. Now, the system automatically interprets weather conditions and acts accordingly, according to Bağrıyanık.

"Another major feature is avalanche risk detection. Using ultrasonic sensors, the system analyzes snow layers and density, evaluates the risk of avalanches daily and sends updates every ten minutes,” he explained.

Efforts are underway to integrate all developed systems under a single software platform.

“Soon, we will launch a centralized software system where all decisions are made by AI and human intervention is limited to supervision. With upcoming projects, we will showcase a ski resort that can be fully operated by artificial intelligence next year,” Bağrıyanık said.